Modular dual wheel drive assembly, wheeled devices that include modular dual wheel drive assemblies and methods for moving and/or maneuvering wheeled devices using modular dual wheel drive assemblies
First Claim
1. A modular dual-wheel assembly for a small scale machine, comprising:
- a frame; and
a pair of wheel assemblies, each wheel assembly connected to the frame and comprising;
a wheel drive motor having an output shafta wheel at least indirectly connected to the output shaft, the wheel rotatingly driven by the wheel drive motor around a rotational axis, anda wheel gear assembly that indirectly connects the wheel to the output shaft, the wheel gear assembly transmitting rotational motion from the output shaft of the wheel drive motor to the wheel and provided substantially within an internal volume of the wheel;
wherein the rotational axis of each wheel assembly is collinear with the rotational axis of the other wheel assembly and each wheel assembly is controllably operable independently of the other wheel assembly such that the frame is rotatable around a pivot axis that is locatable anywhere on a common line of the collinear rotational axes;
a hypocyclic cam having at least one cam lobe;
at least one set of hypocyclic gears, each set comprising an inner hypocyclic gear and an outer hypocyclic gear; and
a gear hub cap connected to the at least one inner hypocyclic gear and the wheel, the gear hub cap transmitting rotational motion of the inner hypocyclic gear to the wheel;
a load bearing mounted around the outside of the at least one hypocyclic outer gear;
a rim mounted on the outside of the load bearing;
a tire mounted to the rim; and
a load bearing retainer that maintains the load bearing in a desired position relative to the at least one outer hypocyclic gear, the load bearing retainer at least indirectly connected to the frame.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wheel assembly for a small-scale machine includes a pair of opposing, individually-driven wheels, associated motors and possibly one or more gear assemblies. The motors receive separate drive signals from a control electronics subsystem of the wheel assembly. The motors can be connected to the wheels via the gear assemblies. Because the wheels are separately driven, driving the two wheel assemblies at similar or different speeds drives the wheel assembly over straight or curved paths. An orientation assembly allows the orientation of the wheels to the machine to be controllably altered. A height adjusting assembly allows the distance between the wheels and a point on the machine where the wheel assembly is attached to be adjusted. The rotational axis that the wheel assembly rotates about when re-oriented need not pass through either wheel of the wheel assembly. The wheels can be driven by control signals generated by on-board control electronics.
61 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A modular dual-wheel assembly for a small scale machine, comprising:
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a frame; and a pair of wheel assemblies, each wheel assembly connected to the frame and comprising; a wheel drive motor having an output shaft a wheel at least indirectly connected to the output shaft, the wheel rotatingly driven by the wheel drive motor around a rotational axis, and a wheel gear assembly that indirectly connects the wheel to the output shaft, the wheel gear assembly transmitting rotational motion from the output shaft of the wheel drive motor to the wheel and provided substantially within an internal volume of the wheel; wherein the rotational axis of each wheel assembly is collinear with the rotational axis of the other wheel assembly and each wheel assembly is controllably operable independently of the other wheel assembly such that the frame is rotatable around a pivot axis that is locatable anywhere on a common line of the collinear rotational axes; a hypocyclic cam having at least one cam lobe; at least one set of hypocyclic gears, each set comprising an inner hypocyclic gear and an outer hypocyclic gear; and a gear hub cap connected to the at least one inner hypocyclic gear and the wheel, the gear hub cap transmitting rotational motion of the inner hypocyclic gear to the wheel; a load bearing mounted around the outside of the at least one hypocyclic outer gear; a rim mounted on the outside of the load bearing; a tire mounted to the rim; and a load bearing retainer that maintains the load bearing in a desired position relative to the at least one outer hypocyclic gear, the load bearing retainer at least indirectly connected to the frame. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A modular dual-wheel assembly for a small scale machine, comprising:
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a frame; and a pair of wheel assemblies, each wheel assembly connected to the frame and comprising; a wheel drive motor having an output shaft a wheel at least indirectly connected to the output shaft, the wheel rotatingly driven by the wheel drive motor around a rotational axis, and a wheel gear assembly that indirectly connects the wheel to the output shaft, the wheel gear assembly transmitting rotational motion from the output shaft of the wheel drive motor to the wheel and provided substantially within an internal volume of the wheel; wherein the rotational axis of each wheel assembly is collinear with the rotational axis of the other wheel assembly and each wheel assembly is controllably operable independently of the other wheel assembly such that the frame is rotatable around a pivot axis that is locatable anywhere on a common line of the collinear rotational axes; a hypocyclic cam having at least one cam lobe; at least one set of hypocyclic gears, each set comprising an inner hypocyclic gear and an outer hypocyclic gear; and a gear hub cap connected to the at least one inner hypocyclic gear and the wheel, the gear hub cap transmitting rotational motion of the inner hypocyclic gear to the wheel; each inner hypocyclic gear is mounted around a corresponding cam lobe of the hypocyclic cam; and the gear hub cap is connected to the at least one inner hypocyclic gear by at least a pair of drive torque pins that are attached to the gear hub cap and that extend into corresponding voids formed in the at least one inner hypocyclic gear. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A dual-wheel assembly, comprising:
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a frame; a pair of wheel assemblies, each wheel assembly connected to the frame and comprising; a wheel drive motor having an output shaft, a wheel at least indirectly connected to the output shaft, the wheel rotatingly driven by the wheel drive motor, and a wheel gear assembly that indirectly connects the wheel to the output shaft, the wheel gear assembly transmitting rotational motion from the output shaft of the wheel drive motor to the wheel and provided substantially within an internal volume of the wheel; an orientation motor connected to the frame and having an output shaft; and an orientation steering assembly at least indirectly driven by the orientation motor; wherein each wheel assembly is controllably operable independently of the other wheel assembly and the orientation motor is controllably operable to alter a relative position of the orientation steering assembly to the frame; a first gear element is rotatingly driven by the orientation motor; the orientation steering assembly comprises a second gear element; and the first gear element is meshingly engaged within the second gear element; wherein the first gear element is mounted on the output shaft of the orientation motor; wherein the dual-wheel assembly further comprises an orientation drive gear assembly that transmits rotational motion from the output shaft of the orientation motor to the first gear element; a hypocyclic cam having at least one cam lobe; at least one set of hypocyclic gears, each set comprising an inner hypocyclic gear and an outer hypocyclic gear; and a drive mount that connects the orientation motor to the frame; wherein the orientation steering assembly comprises; a hypocyclic drive hub connected to the at least one inner hypocyclic gear, at least one orientation bearing positioned around the hypocyclic drive hub, and an orientation bearing retainer positioned around the at least one orientation bearing and connected to the at least one outer hypocyclic gear; the first gear element is attached to a free end of the hypocyclic drive hub; and the hypocyclic drive hub transmits rotational motion of the inner hypocyclic gear to the first gear element. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A dual-wheel assembly, comprising:
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a frame; a pair of wheel assemblies, each wheel assembly connected to the frame and comprising; a wheel drive motor having an output shaft, a wheel at least indirectly connected to the output shaft, the wheel rotatingly driven by the wheel drive motor, and a wheel gear assembly that indirectly connects the wheel to the output shaft, the wheel gear assembly transmitting rotational motion from the output shaft of the wheel drive motor to the wheel and provided substantially within an internal volume of the wheel; an orientation motor connected to the frame and having an output shaft; and an orientation steering assembly at least indirectly driven by the orientation motor; wherein each wheel assembly is controllably operable independently of the other wheel assembly and the orientation motor is controllably operable to alter a relative position of the orientation steering assembly to the frame; a first gear element is rotatingly driven by the orientation motor; the orientation steering assembly comprises a second gear element; and the first gear element is meshingly engaged within the second gear element; wherein the first gear element is mounted on the output shaft of the orientation motor; wherein the dual-wheel assembly further comprises an orientation drive gear assembly that transmits rotational motion from the output shaft of the orientation motor to the first gear element; a hypocyclic cam having at least one cam lobe; at least one set of hypocyclic gears, each set comprising an inner hypocyclic gear and an outer hypocyclic gear; and a drive mount that connects the orientation motor to the frame; wherein each inner hypocyclic gear is mounted around a corresponding cam lobe of the hypocyclic cam; and the hypocyclic drive hub is connected to the at least one inner hypocyclic gear by at least a pair of drive torque pins that are attached to the hypocyclic drive hub and that extend into corresponding voids formed in the at least one inner hypocyclic gear. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A modular dual-wheel assembly for a small scale machine, comprising:
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a frame; and a pair of wheel assemblies, each wheel assembly connected to the frame and comprising; a wheel drive motor having an output shaft a wheel at least indirectly connected to the output shaft, the wheel rotatingly driven by the wheel drive motor around a rotational axis, and a wheel gear assembly that indirectly connects the wheel to the output shaft, the wheel gear assembly transmitting rotational motion from the output shaft of the wheel drive motor to the wheel and provided substantially within an internal volume of the wheel; wherein the rotational axis of each wheel assembly is collinear with the rotational axis of the other wheel assembly and each wheel assembly is controllably operable independently of the other wheel assembly such that the frame is rotatable around a pivot axis that is locatable anywhere on a common line of the collinear rotational axes; a guide shaft connected to the frame; a height adjusting assembly; at least one bearing positioned around and rotatable relative to the guide shaft, the at least one bearing supported by the height adjusting assembly; a bearing housing positioned around the at least one bearing and rotatable relative to the guide shaft; and a mounting plate positioned around and rotatable relative to the guide shaft, the mounting plate attached to the bearing housing and connectable to at least one of a device to be supported and a load to be supported such that the mounting plate does not rotate relative to the device or load; wherein, operating the height adjusting assembly alters a distance between the mounting plate and the frame. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A modular dual-wheel assembly for a small scale machine, comprising:
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a frame; a pair of wheel assemblies, each wheel assembly connected to the frame and comprising; a wheel drive motor having an output shaft, a wheel at least indirectly connected to the output shaft, the wheel rotatingly driven by the wheel drive motor around a rotational axis, and a wheel gear assembly that indirectly connects the wheel to the output shaft, the wheel gear assembly provided substantially within an internal volume of the wheel and transmitting rotational motion from the output shaft of the wheel drive motor to the wheel, wherein the rotational axis of each wheel assembly is collinear with the rotational axis of the other wheel assembly and each wheel assembly is controllably operable independently of the other wheel assembly to rotate the modular pair of wheel assemblies around a pivot axis that is locatable anywhere on a common line of the collinear axes; an orientation motor connected to the frame and having an output shaft; an orientation steering assembly at least indirectly driven by the orientation motor, wherein the orientation motor is controllably operable to alter a relative position of the orientation steering assembly to the frame; a guide shaft connected to the frame; a height adjusting assembly; at least one bearing positioned around and rotatable relative to the guide shaft, the at least one bearing supported by the height adjusting assembly; a bearing housing positioned around the at least one bearing and rotatable relative to the guide shaft, and a mounting plate positioned around and rotatable relative to the guide shaft, the mounting plate attached to the bearing housing and connectable to at least one of a device to be supported and a load to be supported such that the mounting plate does not rotate relative to the device or load, wherein operating the height adjusting assembly alters a distance between the mounting plate and the frame.
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Specification